Obtained the diploma in Optics, initiated studies of Journalism. Later he entered the Official School of Cinema, where he coincided with Imanol Uribe, Ángel Luis Fernández and Julio Madurga, among others. He graduated in 1973.

His first feature was What does a girl like you in a place like this? by Fernando Colomo (1978). In his beginnings he worked a lot with Imanol Uribe and Montxo Armendáriz, which gave him great popular recognition in the Basque Country.

His consecration at the national level came from the hand of Alejandro Amenábar, with whom he collaborated in Los otros and Mar adentro. With Sea inside Oscar winner for the best foreign film of 2005, he won his sixth Goya award as director of photography. His professional career is plagued with multiple awards. This year also a compilation music video by Joaquín Sabina entitled Punto … y seguido.

In 2006 he made the film The Ghosts of Goya by Miloš Forman.

In 2007 he worked with Woody Allen in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

In 2009 he worked with John Hillcoat in the film The Road, based on the Pulitzer Prize novel by Cormac McCarthy.

In 2009 he worked as cinematographer with Chris Weitz on New Moon and with David Slade on Eclipse.

In 2013 he worked with Woody Allen in the movie Blue Jasmine.

Since 2007 he has been a member of Jakiunde, Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters of the Basque Country.